This invention relates to prefabricated cabinet assemblies and more particularly to a prefabricated metal drawer file assembly.
The prior art is replete with a number of patents and various devices relating to prefabricated structures in general. An example of a prefabricated assembly can be made by referring to U.S. Pat. No. 4,077,686 entitled PREFABRICATED METAL STORAGE CABINETS issued on Mar. 7, 1978 to Finley M. Bukaitz and assigned to the Assignee herein. Such cabinets as shown in the patent and others as well depict prefabricated units which can be employed in a home or office to provide storage use such as for coat closets, utility closets and other typical uses.
Many of the prior art prefabricated structures are fabricated from a relatively heavy corrugated cardboard or wood and are difficult to assemble and are not sufficiently strong for the purposes intended. Basically, a metal cabinet provides great strength and rigidity, while further providing a generally pleasing appearance. It is a prime factor in the fabrication of any unit that the parts necessary to fabricate the unit be as few in number as possible, be compact to enable efficient storage space at the selling location as well as in shipping or transporting.
A particular problem exists in the manufacture and assembly of any storage cabinet which employs drawers. Hence, most metal file cabinets are preassembled prior to shipment and therefore require large amounts of shipping and storage space. Certain storage cabinets are fabricated from cardboard and are prefabricated and shipped to a potential user in an unassembled configuration. These units are particularly deficient in the formation of the drawers and the storage capability.
A major problem in implementing a prefabricated file cabinet is the construction and operation of the drawers associated with such cabinets. As can be readily ascertained, the drawer assemblies must be strong and reliable and must be capable of accommodating relatively large weights associated with typical files and so on. There is therefore a need to provide an attractive file cabinet which can be easily assembled by a customer, while providing a strong structural capability with an attractive appearance. The unit must be capable of being quickly assembled with a minimum of effort. The drawer assemblies associated with the unit must be strong and reliable. It is, of course, understood that each panel arrangement or component part of the assembly must be relatively compact so that the same can be stored for sale in a relatively small package which will not unduly burden warehouses or storage space.
The unit to be described is a prefabricated file cabinet which is preferably constructed from a heavy gage furniture steel or metal which can be treated by an electrostatic baked enamel technique to provide a wide variety of colors for the consumer. Hence, the cabinet is both structurally sound, while possessing an attractive appearance.